YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) under diagnostic code 5253, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides two evaluation levels for it: 20% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)
This code rates impairment of the thigh through three specific hip motions — abduction (moving the leg out to the side), adduction (bringing it across the body) and rotation (turning the foot outward). Abduction is the motion that carries the higher evaluation, so it is the one most often left unmeasured.
Three motions are measured, and they are not interchangeable. Limitation of abduction with motion lost beyond 10° rates 20 percent. Limitation of adduction such that the legs cannot be crossed, or limitation of rotation such that the affected leg cannot toe-out more than 15°, each rate 10 percent. Because abduction is the only motion that reaches 20 percent under this code, an exam that measures rotation and adduction but not abduction can cap a claim at 10 percent by omission.
- Diagnostic code
- 5253
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 20% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) VA rating criteria (DC 5253)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
THE EVERYDAY PICTURE
What the Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) examination has to record
The criteria above are read off an examination, and three sections of Part 4 govern what that examination has to contain. None of them is a diagnostic code, so none of them appears in the 5253 table, and all three apply to it. 38 CFR § 4.40: “Weakness is as important as limitation of motion, and a part which becomes painful on use must be regarded as seriously disabled.”
38 CFR § 4.45 lists what an examination of a joint is directed to consider:
- Less movement than normal (due to ankylosis, limitation or blocking, adhesions, tendon-tie-up, contracted scars, etc.).
- More movement than normal (from flail joint, resections, nonunion of fracture, relaxation of ligaments, etc.).
- Weakened movement (due to muscle injury, disease or injury of peripheral nerves, divided or lengthened tendons, etc.).
- Excess fatigability.
- Incoordination, impaired ability to execute skilled movements smoothly.
- Pain on movement, swelling, deformity or atrophy of disuse.
38 CFR § 4.59: “It is the intention to recognize actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury, as entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint.” So a joint that is painful on use is not a finding of nothing, even where the measured motion is close to normal.
The same section says how the joint is to be tested: “The joints involved should be tested for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing and, if possible, with the range of the opposite undamaged joint.” An examination that records one measurement, taken once, sitting down, has not done what the section asks, and that is worth reading the exam report for.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Record precise measurements of each ROM type
- 02
Explain impact on posture and walking
- 03
Submit therapy logs showing failed improvement
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
Incorrect toe-out measurement
- 02
ROM testing performed while seated
- 03
Failure to note impact on gait or function
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Claiming pain without functional ROM evidence
- 02
Failing to note daily limitations like stair climbing
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
May result from hip dislocation, trauma, or arthritis
- 02
Can begin with tightness and worsen into immobility
THE BROADER PICTURE
Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – if motion loss affects gait or posture.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~5,200 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)
Is Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) under VASRD diagnostic code 5253 (Musculoskeletal System). This code rates impairment of the thigh through three specific hip motions — abduction (moving the leg out to the side), adduction (bringing it across the body) and rotation (turning the foot outward). Abduction is the motion that carries the higher evaluation, so it is the one most often left unmeasured.
What VA disability rating can I get for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)?
Possible VA ratings for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) are 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 20%: Limitation of abduction of the thigh, with motion lost beyond 10°; 10%: Limitation of adduction of the thigh, unable to cross legs; or limitation of rotation of the thigh, unable to toe-out more than 15° on the affected leg.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 5,200 veterans are service-connected for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – if motion loss affects gait or posture.
What evidence helps prove Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation) claim includes: Orthopedic exam showing loss of motion; Gait assessment from PT or C&P exam; Goniometer readings for each motion type.
Which DBQ is used for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)?
VA's Hip and Thigh Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Impairment of the Thigh (Adduction/Rotation): Claiming pain without functional ROM evidence; Failing to note daily limitations like stair climbing.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5253)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.40, functional loss
- 38 CFR § 4.45, the joints
- 38 CFR § 4.59, painful motion
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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